Mail box



June 16, 1931.

F. l. JADEN MAIL BOX Filed Jan. 50, 1929 2 Sheets-Shee l INVENTOR Fred. J. Jade]; BY ATTORNEY WITNESSES F. l. JADEN June 16, 1931.

MAIL BOX Filed Jan. 50. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR VFI'aZZ Jzdeu 7 WITNESSES I zzwM ATTORNEY Patented June 16, 1931 FRED I. JADEN, OF HASTINGS, NEBRASKA I MAIL BOX Application filed January so, 1929. Serial No. 336,164.

This invention relates to a mail box which maybe used in rural communities and elsewhere to receive mail matter delivered by a postman, and also tojhold mail matter to be picked up by the postman.

'One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a mail box of improved, simple and durable construction.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a mail box of a repository or tray which is mounted in a novel manner to the end that the tray may be easily moved'to the opened and closed positions; that the tray will remain in the closed position without the use of catches or the like; that the weight of the tray together with the weight of the mail matter contained therein will keep it in the closed position, and will also assist in moving the tray to the closed position, and keep 2 it tightly closed; that the tray will remain in the open position when intentionally moved to such positionran'd that the tray will be moved from the opened position to the closed position, by merely imparting thereto a slight push.

The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will appear when the following specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail box embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 22, of Fig. 1, and

showing the tray in the opened position in full lines, and in the closed position in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the tray and showing the stop for limiting the movement of thetray to the open position.

is a sectional view taken on the lin 4-4, of Fig. 3.

'Fig. 5 is a sectional. View taken on theline 5-5, of Fig. 2. i 3

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the stationary part of the box;

Fig. 7 is afragm'entary sectional View, the section being taken on the line 77, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the stop.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be apparent that the mail .to keep rain water from running into the box, generally stated, comprisesv a hollow part 10 adapted to be fixedly secured to a suitable support, and a repository or tray 11 for the mail matter, which is associated with the part'lO for movement into and out of the same to opened and closed positions.

The part 10 is made preferably of sheet metal, and requires but a single piece bent to provide, a top wall 12, end walls 13, a rear wall 14, and a front strip 15 adjoining the top wall 12; Each end wall 13 has a. vertical front'abutment flange 16. The topwall 12 has a downwardly projecting front edge portion 17- extending longitudinally thereof,

tray. The rear wall 14 has holes-18 to accommodate fastening elements suchasscrews 19, for they purpose of attaching the part 10 to a suitable support, such as a post or wall. Eaicli end wall 13 has a hole 20 in the for ward lower corner thereof, for a purpose "to appear.

The tray 11 is made preferably of sheet metal, and requires but a single piece bent to provide, a front wall 21, a rear wall 22, a bottom wall 28, and end walls 2 1. The front wall 21 projects above the end walls 24, and

has the upper'edge thereof downturnedto act stren and rigidity thereto. The front wall 21 is secured iniany suitable manner to flanges .25 respectively on the endwalls24.

.It willrbe apparent that the part 10 is open at the bottom and also at the front. 7 The tray 11 is of such size as tofit in the front opening of the part 10 defined by the front strip 15 and flanges 16. The tray 11 is connected with the part 10 for rocking orpivotal movement, to opened and closed'positions. This is accomplished in the present instance by the employment of a rod-26, which extends longitudinally of the tray at the for ward lower corner thereof. The opposite ends of the rod 26 are threaded as at 27, and respectively project through the end walls 24. of thetray, and also project through the holes 20 respectively in the end walls 13 of the part -10. Each end 27 has a nut 28-screwed thereon to 'hold' the rod 26 inqplace. The tray 11 has a manipulator 29 forthe purpose ofmoving thetr'ay to the opened and ering the tray closed positions. It will now be apparent that the tray is so constructed and mounted as to be easily moved to the opened and closed positions; that the weight of the tray will keep it closed, and'the added weight of the mail matter contained therein, will assist in closing and keeping it tightly closed; that the tray inthe opened position will remain in such position, until it is pushed slightly, when it will continue to move of its own weight, to the closed position inside of'the part 10, enclosing the mail matter contained therein. It will be apparent that the upper edge of the front wall21 of the tray engages the front strip 15 of the part 10, while the side edges of said wall '21. are engageable with said abutment flanges 16, thus limiting the movementof the tray to the closed position.

In order to limit the movementof the tray to. the opened position there is. provided means presently to be described. The rear wall of the tray has an opening'30 therein near the top edge, and adjacentone end wall thereof. A. piece of metalis stamped and formed to produce a flat element31 having a stop lug 32 extending in the plane of the element, a lug 33 extending laterally from said element, anda hole-34 at the lower end of said element. Theelement 31 is pivoted to the rear wall 22 by a rivet or the like 35, whichis carried by the wall 22 and. which is received in the hole 34 of. said element. The lug 33 projects into the opening 30 in the wall 22. The rivet or the like 35.serves to set up sufficient friction between the ele ment 31' and wall 22 to hold the elementin different positions, and it will be apparent that the lug 33 is engageable with opposite walls of the opening 30 to limit the pivotal movement ofthe element in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 3, In,one position of the element 31,,its lug 32 will project. beyond the related end wallof the tray, so as to engage the flange 16 on the adjacent end wall 13, and in that way,.limit the outward movement of the tray to the opened position, as shown in Fig. 7 The element 31 may be movedto the'position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, inorder to separate the tray fromthe part 10, for the purpose offettecting the attachment ofthe part "10, by,drivingscrews19 into the support for the box. The traymay then be associated with,the part 10in the manner explained after which the element 31j may be set in the position to dispose the'stop 32 in the active position. It isto be understood that a fixedstoptmay be placed on the,tray 11, in. lieu of, the one show 1. in which case the tray-may be separated from'thepart 10, after the rod 26 has, been" removed, by low- I through the bottom of the part 10. J

In order to hold mail matter to be picked up for despatch by the postman, there isprovided an improved meansin conjunction with the mail box, presently to be described. 7

spring has a hole 39 whichreceives a small round projection or teat 40 struck from the bottom wall 23. This keeps the spring from moving relatively to the bottom wall 23 of its own accord, yet allows the spring to be easily removed, if desired. The spring 36 also provides a portion 41 which cooperates with the front wall 21 of the tray 11 to hold one or more letters. It will be apparent that the spring 36 and the means for securing it areisodevised that the spring. can easily be removed without the; aidof tools,if for any reason it should break, and should have to bereplaced. It will also be observed that a spring so secured is not so liable to break 7 off, as it has its full strength where the greatest strain wouldoccur, and this is so due to the absence of rivets or other fastening elements which would weaken the spring.

. 1. A mail box including a hollow sect-ion comprising top, back and end walls, a tray adapted to contain mailmatter, a detachable pivot mounting the tray on said end walls of said hollow, section-for pivotalmovement with respect to;said hollow section, to opened and closed positions, an abutment on said hollow section, a stop lug-on said tray engageable with said abutment, tolimit the movement of the tray to the opened position, said tray being separable fromsaid hollow sectionby detaching said pivot.

2. In a mail box, a hollow stationary section, a tray adapted to contain mail, matter,

a detachable pivot supported by said stationary sectlon, which supports saidtray for;piv-- otal fmoven entj to opened and closed-positrons with respect tosaid stat onary sectlon, an abutment von sa dstat onary section, and

a pivoted stop lug frictionally held in a, positionto engage said abutment to limit/the movement of said tray, to the opened position, said lug being movable to retracted position toenable the separation ofsaidtray from the stationary section, when said pivot is detached.

ram) 1. JADEN. 

